Bracken Ridge Bakery

Pies are what Bracken Ridge Bakery is known for around Bracken Ridge, Queensland, and the range goes well past them. Steak, chicken and pepper mince pies get plenty of mentions, and the pulled lamb and lamb and gravy pies are the ones people say are hard to beat. They're chunky, well filled and clearly made with care. Sausage rolls, cream buns, vanilla slice, ham and cheese croissants and stuffed baguettes round out the cabinet, along with fresh bread and sourdough.

Donuts have a following of their own. The jam and custard donuts come up often, and one local called them massive and a bargain. Custom and birthday cakes are made to order, and we've heard they're good value too. There's also a pastrami sandwich that one regular was quietly raving about.

It has the feel of an old-school bakery, with the baking done out the back and the goods brought out fresh, so everything arrives warm and from the oven. People talk about the helpful staff, and Maurice gets a mention by name for his smile and his willingness to sort out a special request. Regulars say you're met with a chat as well as a pie, and that kind of welcome counts for a lot when you're just after lunch on the run.

Takeaway is the main way to do it here, and there's coffee and a decent choice of cold drinks, including Bundaberg ginger beer. If you'd like to eat nearby, two benches sit under a tree close to the shop. Parking is easy, with a free car park and free street parking, and there's a wheelchair-accessible entrance and car park. You can pay by card or tap with your phone.

The bakery opens early and keeps different hours on weekends, so check the hours before you head in. It's a straightforward, honest neighbourhood bakery that suits a quick morning stop, a sandwich at lunch or a cake ordered for a birthday.